Albatross One: The Means to Justify an Ending
by BL4CK B377Y
Summary: If River Tam was the Academy's idea of perfection, what exactly had led them to that point? How many lives had they stolen and ruined for their end result? More importantly, what had been the start of it all?


**_Disclaimer: I do not own anything pertaining to the TV series, Firefly or any of its subsidiaries (i.e. Serenity, and B.D.M.). They all belong to the wonderfully marvelous Joss Whedon. I am simply borrowing several aspects to create a story for my own amusement. If in the process it amuses others, sobeit. I am not making any money from this, so please don't sue me. It'd just be a waste of both our time. (Cause I'm broke as a skoke!)_**

**_(A/N:_**_ This has been a story idea playing in my head for years. Finally I decided to sit down and try writing it out. I write solely for my own amusement and satisfaction, however, if you feel obliged to tell me what you think, feel free to do so. I love constructive criticism. Thanks! Now on with the show!)_

**Chapter One**

_"Sabrina! Could you come down here please?"_ A man's voice called up the stairs.

"Yes, Father!" She called over her shoulder. "I'll be right there!"

What could that be about? The teenager smiled as she set down the playing cards she was using for a game with her brother. She smiled at him before reaching across the short distance and ruffling his dark brown hair. "Sorry, Simon. We'll have to finish our game later, alright?"

The boy smiled up at her and nodded, "Ok, Brin." She ruffled his hair again and he grimaced and pushed her hand away. She loved to tease him.

Standing up from her Indian-style position on the floor, she walked over to the playpen in the corner of the nursery. From within, a bright-eyed baby girl turned her face and grinned up at Sabrina. Instinctively the babe reached her hands out to be picked up. It was easy to tell, even at first glance, that the three children were related. Though facial features varied in several ways, they all had the same eyes and dark-brown, almost black colored hair, both features they'd inherited from their mother.

Sabrina chuckled softly at her baby sister, "Come on, little River. Let's go see what father wants, shall we?" She cradled the baby against her hip as the child cooed softly.

River's little hand almost immediately reached out to play with the locket around Sabrina's neck. Sabrina smiled as she took the pendant in her hand. The baby loved her necklace, and tried to play with it every moment she could. Apart from having a natural shine, it was very simple in appearance. Just a small silver heart. The remarkable feature, however, was inside.

Sabrina chuckled as she snapped the locket open and let it rest on her palm. The two sides of the pendant shined a light that projected a still image of their family. One could tell it was a fairly recent picture, for Sabrina and Simon looked very much the same as they did now. In the image, Sabrina was sitting in an arm-chair next to a hospital bed, with a grinning Simon in her lap. Their father sat on the other side of the bed with his arm wrapped around the shoulders of a raven-haired woman. Only three of the four bright faces gazed up at the Imager, all smiling, foolishly and proud. What Sabrina could figure that little River seemed to like most about the locket, though, was probably the fact that instead of smiling at the capture like the rest of them, her mother could not pull her gaze from the small newborn babe in her arms.

The locket had been a gift from their father Gabriel, to their mother. When she had fallen ill, Carra Tam had given it to her first daughter, telling her it was up to her to look after their family now. A message Sabrina had taken fully to heart. The locket was the last thing she had of her mother, and to her it was more valuable than all the platinum in the 'verse.

Sabrina felt a tug on her arm and she looked over to see Simon, "Come on, Brinny. Let me see too!"

Sabrina chuckled, "Alright, Simon!" She grinned as she crouched down to his level. He reached for the pendant and she let him hold it in his smaller palm. She put her arm around him and he laid his head on her other shoulder.

"I miss, mother," Simon whispered.

Sabrina's eyes watered and she leaned over and kissed his forehead, "I know, bubba. I do too." She blinked her tears away and kissed the top of his head once more and rubbed his shoulder soothingly. Sabrina cleared her throat, "Come on, little man. We shouldn't keep father waiting." She leaned over and kissed the top of River's head as well.

With a sigh she closed the locket and stood. River laid her tiny head on Sabrina's shoulder making the older girl smile. Sabrina brushed her thumb across the little girl's cheek and followed Simon out of the nursery.

The three children made their way downstairs to the living room where they found their father and former nanny/soon-to-be stepmother sitting in the living area with two distinguished looking gentlemen. Upon walking into the room the smile began to falter on Sabrina's face.

"There you are!" The older woman said. "What took you so long?" Sabrina had to bite back the mean retort on her lips. It hadn't taken them long at all, the woman just said it in spite, to sound superior.

"Regan could you take the smaller children back upstairs, please?" The request had come from their father, Gabriel. Sabrina eyed the woman warily as she approached to take the children with her.

Once River was taken from Sabrina's arms, however, the baby began to wail and gripped a lock of Sabrina's hair tightly in her little fist. It had taken several tries, but Regan managed to pull River's hand free from Sabrina's hair. Regan tried rocking the small babe and hush her tenderly, but River's cries could still be heard the entire way back upstairs. Sabrina couldn't do much but watch them go with reluctance in her heart. She hated hearing her sister cry, it pulled at her heart.

"Sabrina!" Her father touched her shoulder, startling her back to his attention. "Please come sit with us, sweetheart. These gentleman have some exciting new information I think you will like to hear."

She nodded and stepped further into the room as her father closed the study doors behind her. She smiled tentatively at the two men as she slid between the coffee table and couch opposite them, and sat down.

"Hello, Sabrina." The greeting came from the man on the right. He was smaller than the other, with brown hair in contrast to the other man's red.

"Hello," she responded. Her father sat down next to her and she felt some of her tension leave as he took her hand. "What exactly is this about, may I ask?"

Her father leaned in, whispering, "Darling, these men are the administrators at the new Academy opening on Persephone."

She looked up at her father, startled some. She hadn't heard of any new academy opening. Before she could ask any questions, however, the brunette man spoke again, "I am Mr. Henrickson, and this is my colleague, Mr. White. As your father said, we are the academic administrators for the new Allied Academy. It is a special school for gifted individuals, such as yourself. We are looking for students of extraordinary talents, and that is why we are here."

Her father handed her the brochure they had given him. It boasted challenging courses in physical and mental aptitude. Exciting clubs and venues to further admirable qualities in their students. It even went so far as to saying, "All Academy graduates can look forward to a bright and challenging future." She couldn't lie to herself it looked interesting.

"But why me, sir? Surely my records would reflect that I am no student of great intellect. My ten year old brother is practically smarter than me." The course brochure looked like it boasted advanced courses and a challenging curriculum. How did that bode for her? "I just barely managed to graduate with a B average."

Both men shared a grin with each other before the brunette, Mr. Henrickson she remembered, turned to her and clasped his hands together; which she noticed were covered by black leather gloves. "The Academy is not simply for intellectual thinkers, Sabrina. You, my dear, have excelled in every physical challenge that has ever been placed before you. Your expertise and grace are unrivaled by even most professional athletes twice your age. At the Academy you will be able to focus on your strengths, and in the process we will help you build up your weaknesses. With your special talents, the possibilities are endless."

She smiled at that. Ever since her mother died, it had seemed all encouragement in her athletic ability had diminished. The focus had seemed to be rerouted to her grade point average. Her father had tried to show encouragement in her pursuit of gymnastics and sports, but Gabriel Tam was an intellectual man. It wasn't his fault that he saw greater value in study than in sport.

When Regan had entered their lives, it had only gotten worse. She had initially been hired as a nanny when Carra became pregnant with River. She was weak during the pregnancy, almost bedridden the entire time, so Regan had been employed to help around the house especially with the children. Sabrina did not take well to Regan at all. The woman tried to act like their mother, and treated Sabrina like she was an infant, not the eighteen year old woman she was.

Sabrina also sensed Regan's intentions towards their father. Gabriel was a devoted husband, and somewhat naive to that sort of thing, but Sabrina could see the hidden desires of the woman's heart.

After their mother's death, Sabrina's academics had suffered greatly. Not only had she found herself in a state of depression, but she would use most of her spare time to look after her brother and newborn baby sister. Gabriel had seen this and had taken it upon himself to try and find a suitable mother figure for the children, to replace what they had lost. Regan was more than willing to throw herself into that role. Despite Sabrina's misgivings, Gabriel was taken with her. Regan and Sabrina constantly failed to get along. Almost a year later, they did not full out fight as often, but the relationship between them was still hostile and strained.

Not only would this Academy be an opportunity for Sabrina to excel in the areas she was great at, but it would give her some time away from the stresses of home, to just be a girl for a change. Despite her instinctive misgivings, she was finding herself more and more excited about the prospect. Her only doubts were about the care of her siblings.

"Well, Sabrina darling. What do you think?" Her father asked.

She looked up from the brochure and smiled brightly at him. It had been so long since he had seen her smile. He brought his hand up to playfully pinch her chin as he returned the expression. It was good to see her happy and excited about something for a change. His wife's death had somewhat forced her to grow up faster than a teenage girl should. He felt guilty for that, which was why he had taken to Regan so quickly. He still loved his wife dearly, but he knew he could not raise his children properly without help.

"You need not worry about your friends, you may correspond with them all you wish! This could be such a wonderful opportunity for you, sweetheart!" Gabriel tried to encourage her. "To finally be able to focus on your talents without everything else getting in the way."

Sabrina sat for a long moment, thinking. Weighing the pros and cons in her mind. When she had come to a decision, she turned to the two men and set the brochure down on the table. The men looked somewhat down-trodden, the gesture making them think she would decline. Her next words, however, were like music to their ears. "When does the new semester start?" She asked.

An almost wicked grin spread on both men's faces. They shared a glance with each other before turning back to the girl. Mr. Henrickson spoke first, "In just 3 months time..."

His words trailed off, allowing his redheaded colleague to finish the sentence, uttering his first words of the evening. "...Your future shall begin."

_(**A/N:** Well there it is. The beginning. I will try to write more, but I have several stories in the works right now so we'll see. Any feedback is much appreciated! Constructive criticism greatly welcomed, just No Flaming please! kthx!_

Cheers! =^.^=)


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